The Report on Environmental Sustainability, entitled "Growing Together",
was presented to the Ministers of Agriculture by the Federal-Provincial
Agriculture Committee on June 30, 1990. This was the initial step in
the development of the Agricultural Component of the Environmental Green
Plan. The report dealt with eight priority issues:

Soil concerns associated with degradation and urban encroachment

Water quality linked to pesticides and other agricultural contaminants

The relationship between agriculture and wildlife habitats

Excess or inadequate water supply

Problems such as climate change and ozone depletion

Inefficient energy use and the lack of economically viable alternatives
to fossil fuels

Pollution and waste management problems

Concerns linked to genetic resources

The report (Growing Together) reached
nine major conclusions and made 11 major recommendations for action
to confirm and demonstrate their long-term commitment to the environmental
sustainability of the agri-food sector.

The Executive Summary of "Growing Together" is available for
download in Adobe Acrobat pdf
format (19 K)

The RATIONALE and PRIORITIES used
in developing the various Green Plan Programs are available for review,
as are the ISSUES associated with
the development of the Green Plan Programs.

The report (Growing Together) was followed by a two-day Green Plan
Ag Stakeholders' Forum on Oct. 17 - 18, 1991 at the Kempenfelt Conference
Centre, Barrie, Ontario, which provided a forum for approximately seventy
stakeholders to suggest priorities and program areas for Green Plan
support and activities. The basis for the Forum was the four main agricultural
issues affecting environmental sustainability:

Water quality,

Secure land base,

Reduction of pollution impact,

Wildlife habitat.

The Executive Summary from the Ag Stakeholders' Forum included 30
identified recommendations divided into four categories:

Following the signing of the Canada-Ontario
Environmental Sustainability Accord (COESA) on February 27, 1992,
the ACCORD COMMITTEE was created under Sect.
6.3 of the Agreement, drawing membership (8) from those federal and
provincial departments which are involved with the issue of environmental
sustainability as it relates to the Ontario agri-food sector.

Under Sect.6.3(h) of the Agreement, the Agreement
Management Committee (AMC) was created, having the same departmental
representation as that of the Accord Committee. It was the task of the
AMC to implement provisions of the agreement, developing program areas
of the Green Plan program, drawing on recommendations from the Kempenfelt
Forum, as well as from the Report on Environmental Sustainability (Growing
Together).

The Accord Advisory Committee was formed
under section 6.4 of the Agreement, to provide advice to the Accord
Committee on a range of issues dealing with environmental sustainability
priorities and programs. The membership of the Advisory Committee was
comprised of interested stakeholders representing the diverse interests
involved in the environmental sustainability of the agri-food business,
producers, environmental groups, consumers, educational institutions,
and resource interests (somewhat mirroring the representation of the
stakeholders at the Kempenfelt Forum). From this group, one or two members
of the Advisory Committee are to be identified to represent Ontario
on a National Advisory Committee which will provide practical advice
to the federal and provincial Ministers of Agriculture.

The agreement on the Agriculture Component
of the Green Plan was signed on September 21, 1992. The agreement set
out the details of the administration and management, the workplan,
and the various program areas with their respective funding levels for
both the Federal and Provincial portions of the Green Plan.